Fourth Quarter 2015 President’s Message Robert A. Steensma • President/CEO Question & Answer Continued on page 2 I have a Visa® Platinum credit card through FSCU. A friend told me they have a Rewards credit card from FSCU and that you were even improving the Rewards offered. How does the rewards program work and should I switch to a rewards credit card? FSCU offers both a Platinum Visa® and a Platinum Rewards Visa® credit card. e rewards card earns the member 1 reward point for every net dollar spent using the card ($500 spent = 500 points). Points are good for up to 4 years so you can accumulate quite a bit over a fairly short period of time. We even improved our rewards program as of October 1, 2015. Points are now called StarPoints™ and can be redeemed at www. FiveStarPoints.com or by phone at 866-904-6993. All unused points from the former CURewards program were carried over to the StarPoints rewards program with the same expiration dates. StarPoints now offers the following enhancements: • Your points can now be redeemed for cash back! Imagine turning 6,000 StarPoints into $50 deposited to your FSCU checking or savings account. ($25 is minimum cash redemption). • StarPoints can also be redeemed for a larger variety of gift cards including fuel, dining and entertainment! Plus, points are now worth more. Redeem 5,500 StarPoints and get a $50 gift card (vs. the 7,700 points previously e development and rapid growth of the internet over the past 20+ years has greatly expanded our access to a world of knowledge, entertainment and communications. Unfortunately, the internet has also greatly accelerated the speed and impact of thieves’ ability to gain access to wide audiences and make it far easier and faster for them to fraudulently obtain income from their victims. FSCU members are not immune from these scams. Some examples of internet or other scams our members (and non-members) experience: • You have won a lottery that you don’t recall entering. • A wealthy businessman or his widow or deposed royalty or even someone posing as an American GI in a foreign country needs help getting a large sum of money out of the country to the US and will give you a share. • A large amount of money has been found or inherited or acquired in a peculiar way somewhere near you that someone is willing to share with you. • A poor young woman in a foreign country needs money to marry the man she loves. • A small child in a foreign country needs medical care or help in getting to the U.S. • A (fake) charity in a foreign country needs your donation. • A company promises you a percentage of each check you cash for them thru your bank account. e common thread in all of these is the sender needs a small amount of money from you (often starting at $250 or less) in advance to pay the taxes on the lottery winnings, to pay for the attorney to draw up the papers, to pay the money wiring fees, to pay a foreign official a bribe, to pay for the dowry, medical care, etc. In some scams they will ask if they can use your bank account to deposit the money in and ask you for your account information. If you pay the amount asked, something will go amiss in the process and a little more money will be needed. en another problem occurs and more is needed. If you provide your bank account information the thieves may gain access to removing all the money in your accounts. Other times the victim is already in it for so much that they feel they have no choice but to send more and hope it will be the last requested. It will not be. In some instances, to make you feel secure, the thieves provide you a certified check for a large amount before you give them your smaller amount. In a similar scam they send you multiple checks to deposit in exchange for a percentage of their total. You deposit their check(s) thinking you can’t lose, send them their share and keep your share, only to discover a few weeks later that the certified checks were stolen or fake and you are out the money you sent them. Printed on recycled paper. 1 Say Scram to Scams! Protect yourself from fraud. Since 1964, Over Serving our Members
Transcript
Fourth Quarter 2015
President’s MessageRobert A. Steensma • President/CEO
Question & Answer
Continued on page 2
I have a Visa® Platinum credit card through FSCU. A friend told me they have a Rewards credit card from FSCU and that you were even improving the Rewards offered. How does the rewards program work and should I switch to a rewards credit card?
FSCU offers both a Platinum Visa® and a Platinum Rewards Visa® credit card. The rewards card earns the member 1 reward point for every net dollar spent using the card ($500 spent = 500 points). Points are good for up to 4 years so you can accumulate quite a bit over a fairly short period of time. We even improved our rewards program as of October 1, 2015.
Points are now called StarPoints™ and can be redeemed at www.FiveStarPoints.com or by phone at 866-904-6993. All unused points from the former CURewards program were carried over to the StarPoints rewards program with the same expiration dates.
StarPoints now offers the following enhancements:• Your points can now be redeemed
for cash back! Imagine turning 6,000 StarPoints into $50 deposited to your FSCU checking or savings account. ($25 is minimum cash redemption).
• StarPoints can also be redeemed for a larger variety of gift cards including fuel, dining and entertainment! Plus, points are now worth more. Redeem 5,500 StarPoints and get a $50 gift card (vs. the 7,700 points previously
The development and rapid growth of the internet over the past 20+ years has greatly expanded our access to a world of knowledge, entertainment and communications.
Unfortunately, the internet has also greatly accelerated the speed and impact of thieves’ ability to gain access to wide audiences and make it far easier and faster for them to fraudulently obtain income from their victims. FSCU members are not immune from these scams.
Some examples of internet or other scams our members (and non-members) experience:• You have won a lottery that you don’t recall
entering.• A wealthy businessman or his widow or
deposed royalty or even someone posing as an American GI in a foreign country needs help getting a large sum of money out of the country to the US and will give you a share.
• A large amount of money has been found or inherited or acquired in a peculiar way somewhere near you that someone is willing to share with you.
• A poor young woman in a foreign country needs money to marry the man she loves.
• A small child in a foreign country needs medical care or help in getting to the U.S.
• A (fake) charity in a foreign country needs your donation.
• A company promises you a percentage of each check you cash for them thru your bank account.
The common thread in all of these is the sender needs a small amount of money from you (often starting at $250 or less) in advance to pay the taxes on the lottery winnings, to pay for the attorney to draw up the papers, to pay the money wiring fees, to pay a foreign official a bribe, to pay for the dowry, medical care, etc. In some scams they will ask if they can use your bank account to deposit the money in and ask you for your account information.
If you pay the amount asked, something will go amiss in the process and a little more money will be needed. Then another problem occurs and more is needed. If you provide your bank account information the thieves may gain access to removing all the money in your accounts. Other times the victim is already in it for so much that they feel they have no choice but to send more and hope it will be the last requested. It will not be.
In some instances, to make you feel secure, the thieves provide you a certified check for a large amount before you give them your smaller amount. In a similar scam they send you multiple checks to deposit in exchange for a percentage of their total. You deposit their check(s) thinking you can’t lose, send them their share and keep your share, only to discover a few weeks later that the certified checks were stolen or fake and you are out the money you sent them.
Printed on recycled paper. 1
Say Scram to Scams! Protect yourself from fraud.
Since 1964, Over
Serving our Members
2
If you merely send them money from your account (and not the account number) the average scam averages about $5,000 per victim but there are many instances of considerably more being taken.
These scams are not new. Variations of them existed even further back than the French Revolution (1789) when one mailed letter version described a French aristocrat in exile, who in escaping from revolutionary violence had thrown a chest full of jewels into a lake. He or his servant ended up in prison trying to recover the treasure. With just a little monetary help to aid in bail, bribery or escape, you’d earn a portion of the riches. A French detective at the time wrote that of every 100 letters of this scam sent out, at least 20 recipients responded with money.
These same type cons gained the name “Spanish Prisoner” scams during the (1898) Spanish American War. The story was of a military man imprisoned in Spain with Cuban gold bars concealed in the United States that he could recover—with your help providing a little money upfront.
In the 1980s, first with fax machines and later through emails, some of these swindles gained the name “Nigerian Prince” scams as most in the US believed in the vast amount of stolen oil money and slush funds that the letter alluded to trying to get out of the country to be shared with you. Many variations of this scam, with or without princes or lotteries, continue to circulate.
In general, all these ruses are known as “Advance Fee” scams as all want you to send them money in exchange for a promise of more money in return, or just to take advantage of your emotions and generosity to help out (a fictitious) adult or child in need.
In those instances that FSCU becomes aware a member is sending money to a questionable destination we try to warn the member they are likely being the victim of a scam, but at best this might only avoid them falling victim to additional requests for money. Sometimes the member is so convinced they are on the verge of riches they refuse to believe us. Other times they are so convinced they are helping someone in need they continue to send money.
Five Star Credit Union tries to protect members from these and other type scams, but it is imperative that our members be alert and recognize when something doesn’t sound quite right. You were not chosen at random to receive money or to be a benefactor. You are just one of tens of thousands of others receiving the same email scam.
The old saying If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is… (too good to be true) was meant for these type situations. Please protect yourself and those you love from becoming a victim.
We will always strive to find better ways to serve you and to act in our members’ best interest so we can remain YOUR Five Star Credit Union.
required). $25 and $100 gift cards are also available. Imagine turning 11,000 points into $100 in free fuel or in free meals at a favorite restaurant.
• StarPoints offers more travel options and exclusive deals. Redeem points for airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities and excursions all in one place. Points redeemed for travel are now based more fairly on the value of the travel and processing costs and StarPoints is even offering more for less – a $199 flight is now only 12,750 points! Points can even be combined with cash payments for a partially free trip when you want to travel sooner.
Enjoy freedom from restrictions
• No blackout dates• No advance notice requirement• No round-trip flight requirement• No fixed minimum 25,000 or more points for
air travel
• Other reward items include brand-name merchandise, “green” products, charitable donations and more!
• Want to grow your point balance even faster? You can now earn up to 10x the points when you shop online at the Perks Points Mall using your rewards card. Simply visit the StarPoints rewards site and follow the links to the Perks Points Mall to get started!
We think getting $10-$20 worth of rewards value for every $1,000 you spend with a FSCU rewards credit card is a great deal. It’s like earning up to 2% on money you spend anyway. If you have a non-rewards card with us, you can ask to change to a Rewards card. If you do not have a FSCU credit card we suggest you apply for the Rewards card. Call 888-619-1711 (option 2) to speak to our credit card/lending department.
Rewards credit cards carry a slightly higher interest rate on unpaid monthly balances, although we still offer the same low fixed low rate Balance Transfer for Life offer on both rewards and non-rewards cards. There is no annual fee, no cash advance fee and no balance transfer fees with either card. Rewards processing costs are built in to the point costs of the rewards and are included in the examples used above. Some restrictions apply.
VISA® PLATINUM CREDIT CARDS
5.99%BALANCE TRANSFER FOR LIFE!
Apply for a Platinum Visa® Credit Card today! No Annual Fee, No Cash Advance Fee, No Balance Transfer Fee!
*Offer good with approved credit. Existing FSCU Visa® cardholders credit is already approved. APR on purchases vary by credit score and range from 7.99% (8.99% on rewards card) up to 17.99%. Restrictions may apply. The annual percentage rate of 7.99% on platinum cards has a daily periodic rate of 0.02189%. On the 8.99% APR rewards card, the daily periodic rate is 0.02463%. APR of the 3.99% 6 month introductory rate on purchases has a daily periodic rate of 0.01093%. All APRs are the same for purchases and cash advances. Balance transfers from other financial institutions can qualify for a 5.99% APR for the life of the credit card balance (until paid off). The 5.99% APR for qualifying balance transfers daily periodic rate is 0.01641%. Penalty rates still apply. Please request and read our full credit card agreement and disclosure before applying for a new FSCU Visa® card. Disclosures and applications are available at any FSCU branch or at www.fivestarcu.com.
Don’t delay... this is a limited time offer!
Five Star Level Member Share Certificate Rates
DIVIDENDS COMPOUNDED AND PAID MONTHLYA penalty will be imposed for early withdrawals from these instruments. The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) offered as of September 1, 2015 at press time. Minimum Balance Required is $500. Rates are subject to change. IRA Certificates also available. To achieve Five Star level requires a checking account with 10 or more transactions per month and 3 or more other easy-to-qualify-for services. Some restrictions apply.For more Information, call (334) 793-7714 (option 5)
APYs up to... $500 minimum $100,000 minimum
12 month 0.75%APY* 1.06%
APY*
24 month 1.01%APY* 1.36APY*
36 month 1.16%APY* 1.51%
APY*
48 month 1.31%APY* 1.71%
APY*
3
*APYs shown include a 0.30% APY dividend bump rate if member maintains a Five Star level account
Federally Insured by the NCUA
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9 only once. Solution on Page 4.
Trusty R. Fivestar’sB R A N C H N E W SEufaula AL – Remodeling began in August to add drive thru lanes and to make the inside lobby more open and efficient for our many members who use the branch. The remodel should take 6 months and the branch will remain open during that time. We appreciate your patience and believe you will be pleased with the result.
JUST FOR GRINS“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.” - Erma Bombeck
“I intend to live forever. So far, so good.” - Steven Wright
Earlier this year, the Better Business Bureau warned the country to keep an eye out for criminals masquerading as credit repair agencies, an old
scam that keeps coming back every few years.
Grandparent ScamsFor years, con artists have preyed on older citizens, claiming to be (or on behalf of ) their grandchildren in trouble with a desperate need for money. Scammers know that grandparents will do anything to help out and are excellent marks for phone scams. In the traditional version of this scam, someone calls and tells the grandparent their grandchild has been jailed for a minor offense in a foreign country or has had a medical emergency befall them.
A new version of the scam has the scammers claiming to be debt collectors threatening the grandchild with arrest, or having their license revoked or losing their job. Other times, the scammers claim the grandparents are responsible for the debt to finagle money from them. It’s easy to believe a loved one could have debts we don’t know about. With the high pressure call occuring, it’s difficult to find out if it’s true. But, if you didn’t co-sign a loan, you can’t be held responsible for paying it, no matter what someone tells you over the phone. In fact, it’s illegal for a debt collector to tell you if someone else has a debt at all. If you feel pressured to make a payment or provide personal information over the phone, try to get off the line as quickly as possible. Offer to call them back, if necessary. The more they try to keep you on the phone, the more likely it is that they’re fraudsters who are after a quick buck. If you think you might be a potential victim of such a scam, let the FTC know immediately, at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/.
Credit Repair Scams Are Back,
Don’t Let Them Fool You
If you are the victim of a scam... ...contact your local police department. If the scam is internet/email related also file a report at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (a partnership between the FBI and the National White
Collar Crime Center) at www.IC3.gov.
A L A B A M ACOTTONWOOD OFFICEAngela Calloway - Branch Manager 12864 N. Cottonwood Rd. • Cottonwood, AL 36320Phone: (334) 691-7044 • M-F 9:00-5:00 Drive-Thru: M-F 8:30-5:00
DOTHAN OFFICES (2)Mindy Richburg - Branch Manager411 North Foster St. • P.O. Box 2028 • Dothan, AL 36302Phone: (334) 793-7714 • Toll Free: 1-888-619-1711Lobby: M-F 9:00-5:00Drive-Thru: M-W 8:30-5:00/Th-F 8:30-5:30
Angela Calloway - Branch Manager3331 West Main St. • Hwy. 84 West • Dothan, AL 36305Phone: (334) 794-8171 • M-F 9:00-5:00Drive-Thru: M-W 8:30-5:00/Th 8:30-5:30/F 8:30-6:00
EUFAULA OFFICESarah Bradley - Branch Manager1905 S. Eufaula Ave. • Eufaula, AL 36027P.O. Box 789 • Eufaula, AL 36072Phone: (334) 687-8864 • M-F 8:30-5Drive-Thru: M-W 8:30-5:00/Th-F 8:30-5:30
HEADLAND16662 Highway 431 S. • Headland, Alabama 36345
INSIDE WALGREENS2041 E. Main St. (Ross Clark Cir. & 84E) • Dothan, AL2940 W. Main St. (Westgate Pkwy. & 84W) • Dothan, AL3574 Montgomery Hwy. (Westgate Pkwy & 231N) • Dothan, AL
INSIDE RITE-AID130 S. Eufaula Ave. • Eufaula, AL514 Kirkland St. • Abbeville, AL
INSIDE K-MART2210 Ross Clark Circle (Southside) • Dothan, AL
G E O R G I AATTAPULGUS OFFICEHeidi Logue - Branch Manager111 N. Main St. • P.O. Box 280 • Attapulgus, GA 39815Phone: (229) 465-3431 • M-F 9:00-5:00
BAINBRIDGE OFFICEHeidi Logue - Branch Manager1027 East Shotwell St. • Bainbridge, GA 39819Phone: (229) 493-0421 • M-F 9:00-5:00Drive-Thru: M-Th 9:00-5:00 /F 9:00-5:30
CAMILLA OFFICEConnie McDowell - Branch Manager260 US Hwy. 19N • Camilla, GA 31730Phone: (229) 336-5666 • M-F 9:00-5:00Drive-Thru: M-F 8:30-5:00
CEDAR SPRINGS OFFICETracey Kirkland - Branch Manager4637 Georgia Hwy. 370 • Cedar Springs, GA 39832Phone: (229) 372-4586 • M-F 9:00-5:00
DONALSONVILLE OFFICESherryll Smith - Branch Manager305 West 3rd St. • Donalsonville, GA 39845Phone: (229) 524-2500 • M-F 9:00-5:00
ST. SIMON’S ISLAND OFFICEKellie Eldridge - Branch Manager95 Cinema Lane • St. Simon’s Island, GA 31522Phone: (912) 264-7533 • M-F 9:00-5:00
OUTSIDE RICH-SEAPAK SECURITY GATE200 Glyndale Drive • Brunswick, GA
INSIDE RITE-AID211 W. College St. • Colquitt, GA 496 Hwy. 84E • Cairo, GA
INSIDE CVS11685 Columbia St. • Blakely GA
LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU
Printed on recycled paper.4
Search for more free ATMs at www.FiveStarCU.com/atm or use free ATMs at any Publix. Search for Shared Branches at https://Co-opSharedBranch.org/locator
“A FULL SERVICE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION”POINTS OF INTEREST
is published quarterly for the members of Five Star Credit Union. Any suggestions or comments may be sent to: Steve Brown, Newsletter Editor
b O A R d O F d I R E C T O R SJ. Wallace Johnson - ChairmanOdis Buxton - Vice Chairman
Gary E. Manz - SecretaryJanice Green - Treasurer
Pamela Scott Suzann J. Culpepper Harold Stepler
S U P E R V I S O R Y C O m m I T T E EBobby Swann - ChairpersonJennifer Tharpe - Secretary
Kathy McBrayer
m A N A g E m E N TRobert A. Steensma - President/CEO
Tyler Beck - Vice President, CFODeborah McRae - Vice President, Member Service
Randy Davis - Vice President, Member Business ServicesJanice Miller - Vice President, SE Georgia Operations
Billy Gibson - Vice President, Market Development SE GeorgiaSteve Brown - Director, Marketing
Lance Wagner - Director, Consumer Lending and SalesAaron Craig - Director, Mortgage Lending and Collections
Dale Watkins - Director - Information TechnologyPam Pettis - Director of Human Resources
Federally Insured by the NCUA
CALL TOLL FREE 1-888-619-1711 FOR mEmbER SERVICE
www.FiveStarCU.com1-800-995-STAR (7827)In The Dothan Area, Call: 836-2050
ACCESS 24 HOURS-A-DAY... 7 DAYS-A-WEEK
A few guidelines to help keep you safe online:• Don’t open attachments within emails unless you’re expecting them. The rise of email worms
that spread using contact lists means we should always be suspicious of attachments. If you need to share a picture or document, consider using a secure upload service. Try free apps like Dropbox or Google Drive to keep your files safe and shareable.
• Don’t follow links if you don’t know where they’re going. A malicious program could be cleverly disguised behind a news headline. If you don’t recognize the host of the website, just don’t click it.
• Even links that seem to be sent from people you know can be viruses from someone hi-jacking their email addresses. The email will usually look odd with a cryptic non-personal message and no “from” name or a name that is not quite their usual one.
• Safeguard your login information. Don’t share usernames or passwords for any service with anyone. Any piece of identifiable information you publish can be used to fish (or phish) for more passwords.
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.”- Vince Lombardi “We probably wouldn’t worry what other people think of us if we could know how seldom they do.” - Olin Miller “When opportunity knocks, some people are in the back yard looking for four-leaf clovers.” - Polish Proverb
